William Cruickshanks (24 October 1943 – 6 September 2026), also known by his ring name as Bill Dundee, was an Australian professional wrestler and author. He was the father of Jamie Dundee and the father-in-law of wrestler Bobby Eaton.

Early life and professional wrestling career

Dundee was born on 24 October 1943 in Angus, Scotland, and raised in Melbourne. At 16, he joined the circus as a trapeze artist. He started wrestling in Australia in 1962 and finally arrived in the United States as "Superstar" Bill Dundee in 1974 with his tag team partner George Barnes.

He made a name for himself in the Memphis Territory, where he regularly teamed and feuded with Jerry Lawler and Jimmy Valiant for years. Dundee and Lawler ventured to the American Wrestling Association in 1987 and captured the AWA World Tag Team Championship twice. As a singles wrestler, he held the Southern Heavyweight Championship belt several times from 1975 to 1985. Also, he had a successful team with "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel that wreaked havoc in Tennessee.

Dundee had a brief run in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions, Central States Wrestling and Florida Championship Wrestling in 1986, where he teamed with Jimmy Garvin and feuded with Sam Houston for the NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship. He also briefly managed The Barbarian and The MOD Squad while in those territories.

In 1993, Dundee signed with World Championship Wrestling as Sir William, the manager for Lord Steven Regal, he was fired in October 1994 due to a contract dispute.

He worked as a booker for Memphis, Louisiana and Georgia. He frequently appeared on Jackson, Tennessee, talk radio station WNWS 101.5 with Dan Reeves and on a talk show on Public-access television cable TV channels in West Tennessee. He promoted indy cards across Tennessee and in Southaven, Mississippi. He hosted a podcast on Anchor named If You Don't Want the Answer, Don't Ask the Question from 2018-2019.

On 20 July 2019, Dundee, at 75 years old, defeated Tony Deppen to win the unofficial WOMBAT Television Championship for Game Changer Wrestling in Tullahoma, Tennessee. He retired from wrestling in December 2019. Dundee continued to make a handful of personal appearances throughout the years. His final one came just one day before his death, on Memphis Wrestling, during a segment taped a few weeks prior honouring his life and 60-year career.

Personal life and death

Dundee's son also became a wrestler under the name Jamie Dundee. His daughter Donna married wrestler "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton. Dundee could be seen in later years riding around Memphis in his custom-wrapped Mercury Grand Marquis.

In September 2023, Dundee's son Jamie revealed that his father was suffering from late-stage dementia. On 6 September 2026, Dundee died at the age of 82. His death came after a years-long battle with dementia, and a week-long hospital stay where he was treated for double pneumonia.

Books

  • If You Don't Want The Answer, Don't Ask The Question: Bill Dundee's Life Story

Championships and accomplishments

1Dundee's and Lawler's reigns with the AWA World Tag Team Championship began on cards hosted by the CWA through the interpromotional relationship between the AWA and CWA that also allowed the defense of the AWA Southern Heavyweight and Southern Tag Team Championships primarily within the CWA. 2The CWA Southwestern Heavyweight Championship was promoted in both the CWA and WCWA while the promotions had a working relationship in 1989 and 1990.

External links

  • Bill Dundee's profile at,
  • atIMDb